The moment is right. High on New Zealand’s Donovans Chili and Lime dark chocolate (an entire 100g bar!), the two splendid weeks spent in the land of the Kiwis come rushing to the mind. Words are not enough to sum up a two week vacation ever, and its even tougher when its New Zealand! It is heaven for any photography lover, adrenaline for the adventure-junkies and Mecca for the nature seekers! There is absolute truth in the statement that there is delight for everyone in this tucked away corner of the world.
New Zealand just takes your breath away with its vast blue open skies, the endless expanses of meadows with the happy sight of sheep flocks grazing and basking in the sun, the gorgeous native trees that turn up in the middle of nowhere and steal your attention during the beautiful drive through this country. It’s a place that makes you forget time, and if you allow it – would make you unlearn everything and teach you a new way to live- to appreciate all that this universe is and has given us.
There are numerous ways to cover this country and I am glad I chose one of the best – a 2 week road-trip with friends! New Zealand is undoubtedly (one of the) best places for a road-trip and believe me- the very best of this country comes out in its drive when you get to experience the real country-side and its beautiful people.
Where to Fly Into?
This would depend on your itinerary. Auckland (in North Island) and Christchurch (in South Island) are the two most popular point of entry into this country, on account of them being the only NZ international airports with direct flight connectivity into the country.
If you plan to do only only South island (which most choose. I will get to that in a bit.), then Christchurch should be your pick. We chose Auckland for two reason- a) our itinerary started in North Island and b) flights to Christchurch were (and will always be) about couple of hundred dollars more expensive than Auckland as it falls further-south, geographically. We started the trip in Auckland, which turned out most convenient place to assemble for 3 couples flying in from different parts of the world.
Our Itinerary!
Itinerary planning for a trip is always the part that excites me the most. And the great thing about NZ is that the net is overflowing with so many helpful resources. Right from high-level trips-and-driving-itineraries to the some impressive, very detailed sites like amazingnz.com which even tell the most scenic route to take while driving from location A to B and what detours to take on the way.
We undertook a 2000 km+ road trip itinerary (see below) starting at Auckland and ending in Queenstown in south island, covered over a span of 12 days. The key to planning a great driving itinerary here is:
Keep your driving limited to 3 hours a day, and that is because there are going to be plenty of scenic spots en-route that would make you want to stop and you should ! (isn’t that why you chose to drive after all?). So always cater another hour plus buffer in your plans for the day.
What I loved about New Zealand!
This is one country where you can never go wrong with your itinerary.
No matter which places or what route you chose – you are bound to be blown away with the natural beauty of this place and its people.
New Zealand deserves to be ‘experienced’, ‘felt’ and definitely not rushed through. Ideally speaking, I’d recommend a month (at least) to visit this country. But not everyone can afford that kind of time (myself included) and so, knowing what you enjoy the most is crucial. Pick the right places for the activities and experiences you yearn, and that would be a great guiding light for your itinerary.
What I am going to do next is organise our 2 weeks trip into some key themes that might interest to you and along the way, talk about the few special places that just stole my heart. Needless to say, I’d highly recommend them in your itinerary.
1. Lake Love
New Zealand will enthrall and mesmerize you with its spellbinding natural scenery. Point the camera anywhere, click; the image is nothing short of a postcard! For a total nature immersion, I’d recommend the following:
a. Taupo (North Island)
This place is my absolute favourite! I want to start off with this one is because we weren’t expecting Taupo to be anything special. In fact, we chose this place only as a stopover between Hahei to Wellington, in what would otherwise have been an arduous 8 hour drive. Built around the beautiful Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest inland lake, this city has a very laid back, perfect summer-holiday feel to it.
Stay in a lake facing villa, fix yourself a bike and ride along the cycling path built all along the lake.. or even better, take a dip in the beautiful blue lake waters with the sun smiling down at you. We did our skydive in Taupo on a beautiful sunny day, falling over a blue sea with sun rays dancing on the lake surface!
Rahul (the hubby) enjoying a sunny day in Taupo
Just like Taupo, the North Island is also not very well-known. Most people I know have only visited South Island. And yes, I would agree that South’s got the best’s best. BUT guys, if you have time to visit North Island, don’t miss it. It’s the urban New Zealand, it’s where 75% of the population is, its home to the Maoris and rich in history and heritage.
b. Wanaka (South Island)
OMG.. I just love this place. The pictures on the net underplays the charm of this place. We got just half a day here (was just meant to be a stop over! #stupidDecision) but this place will leave you wishing you’d spent more time here. The blue lake, with the towering rugged naked mountains in the backdrop is a sight to behold! I remember sitting on the lush green grass facing the lake and taking in the beauty, and just not wanting to do anything else that day.
But if your idea of a perfect day involves more activity, you are in for a treat. This city has some fantastic trekking trails with views to die for (DO NOT MISS IT!) and is amongst the TOP three destinations for outdoor adventure in NZ! Ever flown a plane? We did, at UFly Wanaka! There’s plenty more; Skydiving, canyoning, parasailing, kayaking.. you name it! Here’s one more for the nature lovers- Rippon Vineyard. You cannot leave this city, without visiting this place. Rippon gives you a true appreciation for the gem that Wanaka is! And while you are there, probably not a bad idea to buy some bottles of wine too, cuz Wanaka falls in central Otago, the region where best New Zealand wines comes from!
Basking in the evening sun, by the Lake Wanaka!
2. The Mesmerizing Mountains
a. Glacier Country
You will not miss a mention of Franz Joseph and Fox glacier during any research for South Island itineraries. These two constitute the few glaciers in the world still accessible to man, and that makes this place prominent on the tourism map.
I have a different take on this place. Visit this place regardless of whether you plan to go up on the glacier. We stayed in Franz Joseph town and the place and the country side surrounding it is just magical! Ice capped mountains, sloping into thick green vegetation, animals grazing and mist afloat a few feet above the ground.. The town is pretty small, with limited accommodation options that sell out fast! So, book early.
If you can, try to avoid hotels/ motels and stay in a place that allows you to appreciate the natural surroundings. We stayed at Franz Country house and it was THE most indulging experience.
Coming to the glacier experience bit, there are numerous options. The best one is to take the helicopter ride up to the glacier. Since we were a group of 6, we had the entire helicopter to ourselves! We did the Helicopter Line‘s twin glacier ride. The ride covered both Franz Joseph and Fox glaciers in-flight and had a sweet snow-landing atop the Franz Joseph glacier, giving us a good 10 min to soak in the surreal-ness and also some snow fun!
For those with more time at hand and willing to shelve out a couple more hundred dollars, there is Heli-Hiking. It basically combines the helicopter ride with a good 3 hours of hiking on the glacier. I know people who have done it and quote it to be one of the highlight of their NZ trip!
b. Aaoraki/ Mount Cook National Park
The drive through Mount Cook National Park
This was the my most awaited bit of our itinerary and boy did it live up to the expectations! This region is set in the one of the remote interiors of the country (be prepared for no cell reception) , steeped in landscapes and terrains you have probably just read of in geography textbooks.
The drive through this region will leave you spellbound. Imagine driving on a beautiful road that stretches till infinity, with a ice-capped mountains in the horizon and golden pastures on either sides! The experience reaches a new high when you suddenly find yourself driving parallel to the turquoise blue glacial lake Lake Pukaki. It is ridiculous how underrated this lake is, but it goes right up on No 1 in my list of favorite lakes in NZ. Care for a tip? Cater an additional half an hour, just so that you can park by the lake and spend a few quiet minutes just taking in the surreal beauty of this place.
En-route to Mount Cook, with the gorgeous Lake Pukaki on the right
Our destination in this region was Mount Cook village.. a place with nothing more than two accommodation facilities! It’s just you and the nature. You pull down your car window, jut your head out, see the views go by and realise how minute, how insignificant you are in front of nature! Want to take the experience one notch higher? check out Hooker Valley Track.
One of the view from YHA Mount Cook Hostel
Another Gorgeous Lake – Lake Tekapo
A drop-dead location not to miss, when you are in Mount Cook!
This Lake is the backdrop to probably 7 out 10 NZ postcards and for good reason. The turquoise blue lake (due to the rock flour from the glaciers) with its surrounding settlement of holiday homes, cafe and cute market place makes it an vacation spot, even for local kiwis. And if you really want to be left spellbound, plan your trip in early summers when the Lupin flowers blossom and fill every inch of the Mackenzie county land for that picturesque NZ cover photo that is sure to be every instagrammer’s delight!
c. Glenorchy (Queenstown)
And keeping the best for the last.. there is Glenorchy. This was the most magical location of our entire trip. Keeping Queenstown as our base for three days, we made half day trips to neighboring locations and Glenorchy was a last-minute entry into our plan.
Queenstown, just by itself, is a stunning lake town. Imagine a place surrounded 360 degrees by mountains, with a town built along the mountain slopes all converging at a stunning royal blue lake. That’s Queenstown. Can’t comprehend how incredibly lucky the locals are to wake up to that view each morning! We tried to get a slice of the cake too by fixing ourselves an AirBnB on the mid levels. The views from the living and master bed were just breathtaking!
Queenstown
The other thing to know about Queenstown is that this is a full-fledged resort town, with a proper city center with lots of multi-cuisine eateries, cafe, souvenir shops and some good-sized supermarkets (the local Countdown and New World).
Glenorchy is tucked away to the west of Queenstown, reachable via road through one of the most scenic drives along Lake Wakatipu. You drive with the rugged mountain one your right and the gorgeous lake to your right, with the occasional patches of green and grazing sheep. It slowly builds up your appetite for what’s coming ahead. But in all honesty, nothing prepares you for what meets your eyes when you finally get to this place. There is really some magic happening here. There is the undeniable romance between the lake, the clouds and mountains that just leaves you a mesmerized onlooker. Little surprise that this place was the shooting spot for movies such as Lord of the Rings trilogy and Narnia.
Glenorchy
En-route to Glenorchy, driving parallel to Lake Wakatipu
3. Stargazing!
Another very compelling reason to visit New Zealand!
Frankly, I never had such a deep appreciation for the universe, until I walked out of my YHA Mt Cook hostel room one night, and just looked up at the sky. In a matter of seconds, the blank emptiness of the sky turned into a canvas filled with thousands of stars scattered across like diamond dust! Not long after, we could see the Milky Way’s constellation of stars (Sagittarius) unfolding itself in its full glory! It was and will continue to be one of the most overwhelming experiences in my life.
The key to seeing stars clearly is inversely proportional to the amount of light pollution on the ground and that’s what makes Mount Cook so perfect to experience this. I am fighting my urge to post a pic to show you what it was like, but I don’t want to deny you the utter surprise and awe of witnessing this first hand 🙂
4. Get your dose of Adrenaline!
Speak of New Zealand and not talk about adventure sports?!
This place has a wide range of adventure activities for all types of adrenaline seekers! You will be amazed at the diversity of activities available, thanks to the geographical marvel this country is.
Little wonder that New Zealand is known to be ‘The Adventure capital of the world’!
South Island with its diverse terrains and landscapes is brilliant for the high-Adrenalin sports such as bungee jumping, sky diving, river rafting etc. I found Wanaka and Queenstown particularly great for those who like to mix nature and adventure. Hiking, skydiving, bungy, zip lining, jet boating all amidst some jaw dropping scenery! Who doesn’t want that?! And If you are a skydiving enthusiast, worth knowing that NZ’s highest jump of 18,000 ft operates out of Franz Joseph’s Skydive Franz!
While you’re in NZ, I urge you all to explore some of the off-beat adventure such as Caving, off-roading and the best of all – Canyoning. Never heard of it? Canyoning is a guided exploration through a remote area, employing the use of a variety of techniques to get around, such as swimming through rock pools, sliding down chutes and clambering over the rocks, zip lining, waterfall jumping. My friends signed up for this and although they came back looking like bruised warriors, they couldn’t stop talking of what they accomplished and how amazing it was!
North Island too is pretty great for adventure.
In fact, in my opinion, its wise to do some of your adventure activities in the North Island for two reasons:
a) North Island’s weather is more predictable. Activities such as Skydiving, river rafting etc are prone to last-minute cancellations if the weather turns sour (which it often does in South Island) and b) Your itinerary will tend to get more crowded as you hit South Island, so it might be a good idea to tick off some of the adventure stuff in North!
We did skydiving in sunny Taupo and river rafting in Tongariro and it was splendid.
5. The New Zealand Wine Trail
If you are a wine lover, the Marlborough region of South Island is sure to leave you high!
Known as one of New Zealand’s sunniest places, the ‘Marlborough’ region hosts an array of local vineyards producing some of NZ’s award-winning wines exported around the world. The best part – most of the them offer wine tasting (for a very minimal charge, and complimentary if you purchase a bottle from them) and some even conduct educational tours of the vineyard. We drove through the region, stopping at a handful of vineyards that caught our fancy.
If you are looking to spend a whole day here, I’d highly recommend the half day bike tours whereby you cover the beautiful Marlborough on cycle, along with a map containing a trail of the best vineyards in the region. Wine tasting at the cellars is complementary as part of the tour and some even conclude with a sit-down meal involving assortment of Marlborough wines and accompanying cheeses.
The other equally acclaimed wine growing belt is ‘Central Otago’ in the south-east of South Island. This region is very different geographically from Marlborough as its steeped in beautiful lakes and mountains. Some of top picks such as Wanaka, Queenstown (covered earlier in the itinerary) fall within the central Otago! So, one way or the other- you are bound to cover this region.
For a more exhaustive list of wine regions, check out this really interesting guide!
6. The Flat White and Breakfast
Don’t bother (I’d even say- Don’t make the mistake) to get your breakfast sorted out before embarking on the drive each morning. We would hit the road by 8am (the best we could do to being a group of six) and have the first halt within 30 min of the drive for our cup of the kiwi flat-white coffee, get a petrol refill (yes, you will almost always find a coffee roaster within a 100m premises of a petrol bunk) and then resume the drive. Some of the best breakfast we had in NZ was en-route; running into small family-run cafes with great food and coffee that blew our mind (you will hardly ever have a bad-coffee in NZ. Kiwis take their take coffee seriously). So! don’t think of the drive as just a means to get to your next destination, it IS the vacation.. it is what you will most recall months/ years after the trip.. so, live ‘the drive’!
It’s a wrap!
I’d like to applaud you if you have stayed on with me this far and made it to the end of the blog! Thanks a lot for reading, and I do hope I have encouraged you to undertake that super long flight to this cut-out piece of the world. I hope you liked what you read and would be happy to take any other questions in the comments section!
Chao and Happy Travels!
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